Centrifugal foam breaker



Nov. 29, 1949 L. P. sHARPLl-:s 2,489,678

CENTRIFUGAL FOAM BREAKER Filed mig. 9, 1944 Patented Nov. 29,y 1949 y UNITED STATE CENTRIFUGAL FOAM BREAKEB Laurence Delaware Price Sharples, to The Sharples Corporation.

A/rdmore, Pa., assigner a corporation o! Application August 9, 1944, Serial No. 548,183

8 Claims. (Cl. 233-28) This invention relates to centrifugal foam breakers and more particularly to apparatus of this character so designed as to effectively prevent re-foaming.

The general object of the invention is to provide improved centrifugal apparatus into which the foam is fed, and in which the foam is broken `down by4 centrifugal force jinto gas and liquid and mounted to rotate about a vertical axis. The

bowl is closed at the bottom by a head 2 attached as by means of screw threads 3, and is closed at the top by a head 4 secured by screw threads 5.

A plurality of radial wings 6 are rigidly secured to the heads 2 and 4, such wings being preferably cut away to leave open the area at the center, as shown. The purpose of' the wings 6 is to impart rotation to the contents of the bowl so that there will be as little slippage as possible between such contents and Secured to the upper end of the bowl I is a rim or wall 9 having at its upper edge an in-turned annular flange I0, thus providing an annular channel between such flange and the upper surface of the head 4.

These sleeves are provided at their lower ends with overlapping radial anges I2b, having between them radially extending abutments (not shown) preferably curved as shown in said patent, and providing Wings, outer edges I2c of said anges being spaced apart and presenting a smooth annular skimming surface.

The upper ends of the sleeves I2 and I2a are secured to an annular header I3, from which extends a liquid discharge pipe I4.

Above the upper head 4 extends a central neck I5, and surrounding this neck is a stationary annular trough or channel I6, from which extends a gas discharge pipe I1.

The neck I5 has a central opening 4a communieating with the interior of the bowl, and from this opening extend a plurality of radial ports the side walls of the bowl itself.

forming channels, thel la having` 2 their outer ends arranged to discharge into the trough or channel I0. v The diameter of the neck I5 is preferably suchgthat these porti I8 have a substantial length, so that they act as l centrifugal pump or impeller.

Above the trough I6, the neck is reduced in diameterand extends upwardly as at I9, and a supporting spindle 20, havinga shoulder 20, Il secured to the neck I9 as by means .of a nut 2l. which embraces the shoulder 20?'. Thus the bowl I is suspended from the spindle 2u, which may be driven in the usual or any suitable manner (not shown).

Within bowl- I is a closed deflecting core 22, shown as formed of a wooden block, and having a tapered or pointed lower end 23, the tip of which is concentric with and spaced from the inlet 1, 8. This core or deector may be supported at the center of the bowl in any suitable manner, as for example by rods 24 passing through the same and having their ends supported in sockets 25, secured to the side walls of the bowl, the ends of these rods being threaded and provided with nuts 26 by means of which the core may be properly centered and locked in position.

In operation, foam is fed into the bottom of the bowl through the inlet 1, 8 and passes up around the deflecting core through the annular passageway between such core and the side walls of the bowl. In this annular passageway, the foam is subjected to strong centrifugal force, which serves to break down the minute bubbles constituting the foam, thus releasing the gas contained in them, while the liquid forming such bubbles is thrown, by centrifugal force, against the side walls of the bowl.

This layer of liquid gradually works its way up the side walls and passes through openings II at the outer edge ofthe head 4 into the channel formed by the rim 9, where it is picked up by the skimming nozzle I2, and discharged through the pipe I4. The gas, on the contrary, tends to move toward the inner portions of the annular passageway, and flows upwardly along the core 22, passing into and through the opening 4*, the ports Il and trough I6, from which it is discharged through the pipe I1.

It will be observed that the outer rim I2 of the stationary skimming nozzle is submerged in liquid which is rotating with the bowl so that air has little if any opportunity to become remixed with the liquid While it is passing from the bowl into the skimming nozzle. f

As liquid enters the skimming nozzle, the friction of the rotating liquid against the inner walls of the nozzle results in the liquid in the nozzle losing much of its rotary velocity. Thus, the centrifugal force generated by the liquid within the nozzle is less than the centrifugal force gener ated by the liquid adjacent to the nozzle. Hence, there is a differential head tending to force liquid into the nozzle and this will in turn force the liquid up through the pipe i4 even though a pressure of. several pounds per square inch is needed to thus elevate the liquid.

It will thus be seen that the liquid rotating within the bowl is discharged into vthe conduit deiined by the members l2, l2, |22), i2c and i6, through the lip portions I2C which are submerged beneath the level of liquid rotating witliin the space defined by the flange i and the upper end 4 of the bowl proper. Since no gas has a chance to enter the conduit, and since the liquid is impelled through that conduit under energy derived from rotation incident to centrifugation, it will be seen that there is no chance for further gas to enter the liquid, and hence no refoaming.

If, as above stated, the ports i8 are of substantial length. they operate in themanner of a centrifugal pump and tend to draw or suck the foam into the inlet 1, 8 and up through the bowl, as described, and to discharge the gas from the pipe I1. However. if desired, the foam may be fed into the bottom of the bowl under slight pressure, generated by an independent pump.

What I claim is:

l. A foam breaker comprising a centrifugal bowl, means for rotating said bowl, means for introducing foam into one end of said bowl, means for confining the :dow of foam through said bowl to an annular passageway extending longitudinally of said bowl adjacent its periphery, means for discharging gas from said bowl at its opposite end, and means for skimming oi the liquid which accumulates against the side walls of said bowl, said flow-confining means being closed to the entry of foam. 2. A foam breaker comprising a. centrifugal bowl mounted to rotate about a vertical axis, means for introducing foam into the bottom ol said bowl, means for conning the now of foam through said bowl to an annular passageway extending upwardly through said bowl adjacent its periphery, means for discharging gas from the center of the upper end of said bowl, wing means in the bowl Vfor imparting rotational movement to the entering mass of foam, and means for continuously discharging the liquid accumulating against the side walls of said bowl, said iiowconfining means being closed to the entry ofl foam.

3. A foam breaker comprising a centrifugal bowl mounted tov rotate about a vertical` axis, means for introducing foam into the bottom of said bowl, a deectng core-centrally positioned within said bowl for causing such foam to flow upwardly adjacent the side walls of said bowl, means for discharging gas from the upper end of said bowl, and means for continuously discharging the liquid which thrown outwardly against the side walls of said bowl, said deecting core being closed to the entry of foam.

4. A foam breaker comprising a cylindrical bowl mounted to rotate about a vertical axis, means for introducing foam into the lower end of said bowl, a deflecting core centrally positioned,

within said bowl for creating an annular passageway extending longitudinally of said bowl, means for causing the foam to now upwardly through such annular passageway; means for discharging gas from the center of the upper end of said bowl, and means for discharging the liquid which accumulates at the outermost zone of said annular passageway, said deecting core being closed to the entry of foam.

5. A foam breaker comprising a cylindrical bowl mounted to rotate about a vertical axis, a detiecting core centrally positioned within said bowl for creating an annular passageway extending longitudinally of said bowl, centrifugal means for drawing foam in at the bottom of said bowl and causing it to travel upwardly through said annular passageway, means for discharging gas from the top of said bowl, and means for discharging the liquid which is thrown against the side walls of said bowl, said deiiecting core being closed to the entry of foam.

6. A foamvbreaker comprising a centrifugal bowl, means for rotating said bowl, a deecting core mounted axially within said bowl and forming therewith an annular space, means for introducing foam into one end cf said bowl, means for discharging gas from the opposite end of said bowl, and a skimmer means mounted to effect discharge of liquid resulting from the breaklng of said foam by passage through said annular space, said deflecting core being closed to the entry of foam.

q 7. The method of breaking foam comprising introducing it into a rotating centrifugal bowl, the introduction of foam being effected at one end of said bowl; confining the flow of foam through said bowl to an annular passageway extending longitudinally of said bowl adjacent its periphery; discharging from the opposite end of said bowl the gas resulting from the breaking of foam in said annular passageway; and, without permitting the gas to regain access thereto. reducing the rotational velocity of and discharging the liquid resulting from the breaking of foam in said annular passageway.

8. The method of breaking foam comprising introducing it into a rotating centrifugal bowl, the introduction of foam being effected at one end of said bowl; confining the flow of foam through said bowl to an annular passageway extending longitudinally of said bowl adjacent its periphery; discharging from the opposite end of said bowl the gas resulting from the breaking of foam in said annular passageway; and, without permitting the gas to regain accessY thereto, reducing the rotational velocity of and discharging the liquid resulting from the breaking of foam in said annular passageway, the discharge of the liquid being accomplished out of contact with air.

LAURENCE PRICE' SHARPLES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

vUNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date v 1,061,656 Black May 13, 1913 2,082,608 Ayres June 1, 193 7 2,107,035 Hall Feb. 1, 1938 2,222,727 Stigen Nov. 26, 1940 2,228,816 Doran Jan. 14, 1941 2,302,168 Ayresetal. Nov. 17, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 12,004 Great Britain of 1909 25,761 Great Britain of 1909 683,089 Germany Oct. 28, 1939 

